This is a video blog website from Vancouver British Columbia. It educates the public about history, public policy and general issues related to the province.

Kumtuks is a Chinook Wawa word for knowledge.

Vancouver, Surrey and other cities in British Columbia and Canada have experienced addiction and overdose deaths. This video covers the history of prohibition, alcohol, methadone, fentanyl, drug research, etc in the history of British Columbia.

There is only one remaining speaker of Chinook Wawa in British Columbia. It will take committed people to keep it alive.

Some insights into the reason for British Columbia's unique weather.

Sharing some insights I found interesting about the earliest days of our City.

One of my goals in creating these videos is to explore alternative narratives of our history. Most history books on British Columbia have our story beginning around 1849.

In my opinion, 1849 was the aftermath, the debris and fall-out from which we had to rebuild after the conclusion of the real story. This is where proto British Columbians won the battle on the ground but lost the battle in London on where the US border would be.

In this second phase of the story, where British Columbians accept the loss of their old capital Vancouver and heartland of Columbia, they start to rebuild and recreate Columbia here in the north.

This video covers the story of the beginning of adversarial politics in the new British Columbia. There are many interesting and surprising parts to the story. This video covers aspects of our history that are not well known by many British Columbians.

Vancouver was originally three different cities. Their distinctive cultures survive today. These are some highlights of how Vancouver became the city it is today. When we make development decisions on where we should densify, perhaps we should keep in mind this history.

Why are house prices so high in Vancouver? Since the 1970s, the City has resisted densification. Only former industrial areas have seen significant changes. Many areas of Vancouver have less people today than 40 years ago.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte are in British Columbia for their first international voyage. Their ancestors, another George and Charlotte, continue to influence British Columbia today. For example, First Nations legal successes are based on their Proclamation of 1763.

I am releasing this video on the anniversary of the birthday of John McLoughlin, the first Governor of Columbia, or Proto British Columbia,on 19 October 1784. The first school in Proto British Columbia was established by Governor John McLoughlin in 1832. Faced with pressure by the UK government to relax its restriction on missionaries the HBC supported Reverend Herbert Beaver for a position at the Vancouver school.It established a precedent for the development of public education in British Columbia.

Some thoughts on depoliticizing appointments to the Canadian Senate.

As Canada and British Columbia spiralled down into virulent racism the Canadian Senate fought back.

The Story of how the Hudson Bay Company State saved British Columbia.

Do we need a better governance model for Canadian cities?

Losing Columbia - How British Columbia lost its heartland and capital Vancouver.

Some Believe we are living near the end of the Third Wave of Urban Reform in Canada. What comes next?

Borders of British Columbia. Here is the story of how BC got its borders.

British Columbia was once governed by a private business corporation from which emerged our modern province.

John McLoughlin. Father of British Columbia?

The Second Wave of Urban Reform improved Canadian cities through professionals and technology.

Naming Vancouver - Was Vancouver named after our lost capital?

The modern Canadian city was made possible by our First Wave of Urban Reform.

Three Waves of Urban Reform - Understanding the development of Canadian cities.

The story of how the North West Company made modern British Columbia possible.

Columbia - British Columbia before the border treaty.

Living in Gunter's World - How the skeleton of Metro Vancouver was laid out.

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Sam Sullivan is a Member of the Order of Canada, a former Mayor of Vancouver and Member of the Legislative Assembly of BC.